Juraj Šimek

Infobox Ice Hockey Player


team= Tampa Bay Lightning
former_teams= Vancouver Canucks
league= NHL
position = Right Wing
shoots = Left
height_ft = 6
height_in = 0
weight_lb = 190
nationality = Switzerland
birth_date = Birth date and age|1987|9|29|mf=y
birth_place = Presov, Slovakia
draft = 167th overall
draft_year = 2006
draft_team = Vancouver Canucks
career_start = 2004

Juraj Šimek (born 29 September 1987, in Presov, Slovakia) is a Swiss professional ice hockey player currently playing for Tampa Bay Lightning of the NHL.

Playing career

Prior to moving to North America, Šimek played in his native Switzerland between the junior and senior (Nationalliga A and B) leagues with Bern, Kloten and EHC Biel. After a strong season with Kloten's junior team in 2005–06, posting 68 points in 45 games, Šimek was chosen in the sixth round, 167th overall, by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

Selected by the Brandon Wheat Kings with their first choice in the 2006 CHL Import Draft,citeweb|title=Canucks sign forward Juraj Simek|url=http://canucks.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=335202|accessdate=2008-09-25|publisher=Vancouver Canucks] Šimek made his North American debut in 2006–07 with the Wheat Kings. He scored at a near point-per-game pace, with 57 points in 58 games and received his first NHL contract in the off-season, on July 23, 2007, with the Canucks.

Signed with the Canucks, he made his American Hockey League debut with Vancouver's minor league affiliate, the Manitoba Moose in 2007–08 and scored 17 points in 66 games. On October 6, 2008, he was traded along with Lukas Krajicek to the Tampa Bay Lightning for Michel Ouellet and Shane O'Brien.cite web|url=http://canucks.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=385125|title=Canucks acquire Shane O'Brien and Michel Ouellet |publisher=Vancouver Canucks|author=Vancouver Canucks|accessdate=2008-10-06]

International play

Šimek has played for the Swiss national junior team twice at the World Junior Championships.

Career statistics

References

External links

[http://canucks.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=PlayerDetail&playerId=8473479 Juraj Simek on Canucks.com]